At the end of his trial for murder, a man sacks his lawyer and proceeds to give his own account of what happened.

In many ways, my world bears no relation to the one the main character inhabits. But, living in Deptford, south-east London, I can hear his voice so clearly in my head. I live on a council estate and my property backs onto a secondary school. I hear voices just like his all day every day. Mahmood has accurately captured the local vernacular.

This story drags on a bit in the middle, but it's still incredibly captivating and well done.

Thriller fans who crave fresh voices and diverse representation will devour this captivating crime novel.